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Opinion Contributor

Investing in America produces the best return

America remains a compelling place to invest for the long term, the author says. | Reuters

Make it easier for people to legally immigrate: Immigration is one of the main reasons why the U.S. has grown faster than many other developed economies. The growth in the foreign-born population contributed roughly 30 percent to 40 percent of total U.S. population growth from 1980 to the mid-2000s. New immigrant workers provide a boost to economic growth. Just think about the effect new workers have on demand for housing, let alone creating new businesses.

Unfortunately, we allow thousands of smart young people to come here for undergraduate and graduate degrees but then send them home — forgoing the benefits of their know-how, knowledge, ideas and enthusiasm. Immigration reform is a complex issue — but there is no reason why we can’t make progress on a few specific, powerful ideas.

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As New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has argued, foreign students who graduate from U.S. universities should be eligible to work in the U.S. permanently. We should also remove the cap on visas for skilled workers. And let’s make it much easier for promising entrepreneurs to work and create jobs in the U.S.

Invest in infrastructure: Whenever I see clients in China and other growth markets, I’m always struck by the intense focus on building world-class infrastructure. The U.S. needs that same level of focus. There are few other types of public spending that can create jobs more quickly and still ensure longer-term economic and social benefits. It is an accepted fact that many of our roads, highways, rail systems and other infrastructure are failing. But we aren’t doing enough to respond.

One source of infrastructure investment could turn on the repatriation of excess cash held overseas by U.S. companies. We should consider allowing companies to repatriate these profits without incurring a significant tax bill — and to demand in return a commitment that they use a certain percentage of these funds for infrastructure or, maybe more broadly, any activity that creates jobs.

Compromise for the sake of progress and stability: In recent years, it’s often felt like elections have become zero-sum contests. When the majority party acts like it is winner take all, the minority party spends the next two-year cycle planning for a complete reversal. This results in perennial delay and paralyzing uncertainty. Our history demonstrates that some compromise, more often than not, produces stability.

If some of the opposition’s concerns are addressed, then less time is spent in the future trying to undo previous actions — and more time is focused on improving or building upon earlier progress. No one should have to forsake their principles. But there are issues that both sides of the political spectrum can and need to tackle together right now to help lift confidence and spur economic growth.

It’s very easy today to think that all of our problems are intractable. But sentiment can shift quickly. If we push forward in some of these areas, especially in the short term, we will see how investing in America still produces the best return.

Lloyd Blankfein is the chief executive officer and chairman of Goldman Sachs.

I am in basic agreement with Mr. Blankfein on the necessity of a powerful US investment base. And a government bipartisan effort to improve that base, while important, only shows the policy side and not the other more nebulous side which is the ability of the American industrial complex to inovate and develop new technologies that help the investment climate. What we need is a gimmick, and firms like Goldman Sachs, GM, Apple, Cargill, etc. must encourage large and and small businesses to exercise their entrepreneurial quest for that "thing" that they can bring to market, domestic as well as global, and the incentive should be not only widening margins but the future and security of our nation for our children and grandchildren, and we should do it also for our parents and grandparents because to whom much is given much is required, We can not rely on only government to accomplish this. Go to work, Mr. Blankfein and have a blessed day.

"INVEST IN AMERICA" -- TELL THAT TO MITT ROMNEY, a man who OBVIOUSLY DOES NOT RESPECT THE USA - and has shown that LACK OF RESPECT & LOYALTY - by STASHING MOST OF HIS MONEY - OUTSIDE THE USA - in secretive, tax haven, countries like BERMUDA, LUXEMBOURG, AUSTRAILIA, SWITZERLAND, IRELAND, and the CAYMAN ISLANDS.

- WHY HAS MITT ROMNEY, WHO CLAIMS TO RESPECT THE USA - PURPOSEFULLY, YEAR, AFTER, YEAR, DECIDED TO STASH MOST OF HIS MONEY - IN SECRET BANK ACCOUNTS - OUTSIDE THE USA - THE COUNTRY HE CLAIMS TO LOVE!

- IF YOU WANT TO BE PRESIDENT OF THE USA , AND WANT TO BE COMMANDER AND CHIEF OF THE US MILITARY, AND HAVE THE POWER TO SEND AMERICANS TO WAR -- MITT ROMNEY, SHOULD AT LEAST HAVE 99% OF YOUR ASSETS IN THE USA - THE COUNTRY HE WANTS TO BE THE LEADER OF!

- THAT MITT ROMNEY HAS CHOSEN TO STASH MOST OF HIS MONEY OUTSIDE THE USA, IN SECRETIVE ACCOUNTS IN 7 OTHER COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD - IS NOT A SIGN OF A MAN WHO IS INTERESTED IN INVESTING IN HIS COUNTRY - THE USA.

-WHEN YOU HAVE MOST OF YOUR MONEY STASHED IN OTHER COUNTRIES, LIKE MITT ROMNEY DOES - WHY SHOULD I TRUST THAT MITT ROMNEY WOULD DO WHAT IS BEST FOR THE USA FIRST - WHEN MITT ROMNEY, HAS CHOSEN, OVER, AND OVER, AND OVER TO INVEST MOST OF HIS OWN MONEY OUTSIDE THE USA - IN OTHER COUNTRIES!

- SEEMS TO ME THAT MITT ROMNEY - HAS INVESTED, & STASHED, MOST OF HIS MONEY IN BERMUDA, AND THE CAYMAN ISLANDS - MAYBE MITT ROMNEY SHOULD GO RUN FOR PRESIDENT in THOSE COUNTRIES!!!

In the interest of full disclosure, the author of this article is the CEO and chairman of Goldman Sachs, one of the biggest contributors to the Obama campaign and which received a $12.9 billion payout from the government after Obama was elected.

You have to wonder why they supported Obama when clearly this author's idea that we need to generate more domestic sources of energy is one that is bitterly opposed by Obama.

* Recall Obama killing the Keystone pipeline,

* having the EPA oppose fracking for natural gas,

* banning drilling in the Gulf of Mexico while sending billions of taxpayers dollars to Brazil so THEY could drill in the Gulf

* his promise to shut down all coal-fired power-generating plants

* and his general war on business of any kind

But the author is correct in saying that we have some short term problems to overcome. The first is removing the socialist failure from the White House. Until he is gone, there can be no recovery to the economy.

It's not traditional American capitalism and the business sector that is making us reluctant to re-enter stock investment...

It's the government's love/graft/hate/punish relationship with the business sector:

*Politician's shaking down corporations (so those businesses can get an exception to the highest corporate tax in the world or more recently, exceptions to the health-care mandate... in exchange for campaign slush funds)... or bailing out companies with union slush funds.

*Imposing a vision of universal home ownership on reluctant bankers by having quasi government agencies assume the risk of sub-prime loans, then condemning bankers when Fannie and Freddy tipped over -- starting the chain reaction... and now starting the exact same process all over.

*Adding piles of tax code every year, so that we all have to hire a tax expert to perform this civic requirement -- impelled, each of us, by the fear that even the most honest and well meaning of us are all now guilty of something

*Adding regulations by high speed printer, so that the smallest mom and pop enterprise needs to hire a compliance officer to stay out of prison.

*Exhibiting ZERO government policy stability for any business with long term plans

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So, shut-up! Until the government fixes all ^that^ we are not going to put our money at risk.

I like it in it's entirety, but most of the comments here will probably try to pick and choose the parts they agree or disagree with. Same problem with Simpson-Bowles and ObamaCare. Everyone picks and chooses their likes and dislikes and want to keep and reject different parts.

Simpson-Bowles presented a serious, responsible and bipartisan effort to improve the long-term fiscal outlook. Embracing its broad conclusions will send the right message to investors and corporate managers that we will make progress on our long-run budget challenges — and that now is the right time to commit capital and invest in the U.S.

Whatever happened to sending the right message to the average American worker? Like, you will be paid fairly for a job well done? That you can spend with confidence knowing someone isn't going to fire you after sending your job to India? IT IS THE DEMAND PEOPLE! Trickle down has never worked and the latest 10 years of the Bush tax cuts prove that. Screw the investors, they are merely gambling, not producing or creating anything of value. I am young, upwardly mobile and do quite well, but I won't buy a house or a new car because I can't help but think that I am getting screwed via inflated home values or manipulated interest rates.

Those strengths would be important if the Administration actually worked to amplify their effect. However, this Admin has taken every opportunity, and created more opportunities, to dampen economic growth and increase fiscal security. The US is competitive only because we are large, and the downsides of most other countries is closer (if you fall from 10 ft, you get to the bottom quick. If you fall from 100 ft, it takes a while but the results are more horrific).

The US is poised to fall unless we turn things around. And this Admin has done NOTHING to turn things around, and has done plenty to make the situation worse! We could have a dynamic increase in energy production and become self-sufficient if we would exploit our opportunities. This would help our balance of payments, increase jobs, increase government revenues, and jump start our economy, if the Obama Admin didn't keep stomping on the brakes (the Dept of Interior just imposed ANOTHER moratorium on off-shore drilling).

We could take advantage of our dynamic banking and financial sector, if the Admin didn't stomp on the brakes to slow investment, discourage investment, and generally attack business as "evil and greedy" while threatening to impose more regs and more responsibilities on business from top to bottom (especially in the financial sector).

We could take advantage of clean energy if we invested in research, instead of investing directly into failing companies that buy their products overseas. Current clean energy alternatives are pricier than fossil fuels, and it will take new technology to turn that around. That requires research. Instead of investing in research on fusion or geothermal research, the Admin is investing directly in Solyndra, Ener-1 while doing research to try to prove global warming.

US companies are innovative and restructured quickly to improve productivity, and are still profitable. But they won't invest into expansion until the future becomes clearer. And the Admin, instead of passing long-term reforms, has engaged in a full line-up of stop-gap measures and alluded to massive new regulatory changes and imposed massive new requirements on starting businesses. So, business investment sits on the sidelines waiting to see what transpires.

The us is gonna be in the same place as spain and italy in two years if these Dem clowns dont cut spending and raise taxes. Raising taxes on the top 5% would only generate revenue that would be spent in 3 weeks at the rate the Obama admin is spending spending spending....Harry Reid (D) hasnt passed a budget in 3 years. The Prez and Senate dems are totally incompetent. Time to send another 5 -6 Dem Senators home this fall. Its the only way to avoid total default.

As someone who works in the branded apparel industry, the Federal gov't has no one to blame but themselves when it comes to clothing made over seas. For those curious, we do offer Made in the USA. However when given the choice most clients pick the less expensive option.

As someone who works in the branded apparel industry, the Federal gov't has no one to blame but themselves when it comes to clothing made over seas. For those curious, we do offer Made in the USA. However when given the choice most clients pick the less expensive option.

Why not concentrate on improving the investment climate in the U.S., so that individuals and companies don't feel compelled to invest their hard-earned money in foreign places that offer better opportunities? Reducing federal spending, moving back to balanced budgets in a convincing manner, simplifying the tax code, decreasing the power of public sector unions, and cutting down on job-killing regulations would be a great start. Going on to address and reform the untenable and unaffordable unfunded liabilities of Medicare, Medicaid, Obamacare, and Social Security, as well as federal pensions, would also be a great help for making the U.S. a place where domestic and foreign investors can make plans without having to worry so much about the federal government's solvency and pent-up needs to tax successful companies and individuals. Obviously, President Obama's loud nonstop demonization of private enterprise and private initiative will need to change 180 degrees, to a position that instead encourages and promotes the U.S. as a positive and friendly and trustworthy investment locale.

People in Wall Street know only how to screw America and nothing else.

It's up to you partially.

Now, there is nothing you could do to stop the mad rush to leverage up to securitize more shadey/risky loans, and you are getting punished along with everybody else even if you did everything right, but...

Just because the finance sector in general is not to be trusted doesn't mean there aren't investment opportunities over the exchanges.

Obama sent BILLIONS OF TAXPAYERS money (PORKULUS BILL) to create JOBS OVERSEAS. 79% of his PORKULUS BILL according to Chuck Schumer, a Democrat Senator from New York when he addressed the Senate floor where TAXPAYERS money went.

This off scripted Obama Incident is truly amazing, looking back even Carter had business experience.

James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr.

Born:October 1, 1924, Plains, Georgia

Jimmy Carter grew up in rural Georgia during the Depression, the son of a farmer (James Sr.) and a nurse (Lillian). He attended Georgia Southwestern College and Georgia Tech, finally receiving a B. S. from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1947. On July 7, 1947, Carter married his sweetheart, Rosalyn Smith.

Admiral Hyman Rickover personally selected him for the crew of the Seawolf, the second nuclear sub (first was Nautilus). He would serve under Rickover for the final two years of his career in the Navy, working as engineering officer on the nuclear sub. With the death of his father in 1953, Carter returned to Georgia to run the family business.

Over a ten-year period Jimmy Carter proved an able manager as he grew his family's agricultural business. In addition to his father's peanut business, he expanded by starting a fertilizer business, adding a cotton gin, and increasing the number of acres he owned and leased

Invest in America - so we can tax you, regulate you, check you, and tell you how to run your business! You have customers that like Pate de foix gras? Tough - we will regulate it out of existance! You like to roll your own? it will cost more as we will tax it heavily! Yes, the Obamaman Can!